Obscuring elements based on browser focus

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system for hiding conversation elements. The system accesses a conversation interface of a messaging application on a web browser and presents the conversation interface in a window associated with the web browser. The conversation interface comprises a plurality of conversation elements. The system accesses a focus status of the window and, in response to determining that the focus status indicates that the window has lost focus, obscures a first subset of the plurality of conversation elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 accessing a conversation interface of a messaging application on a web browser; 
 presenting the conversation interface in a window associated with the web browser, the conversation interface comprising a plurality of conversation elements; 
 accessing a focus status of the window; 
 in response to determining that the focus status indicates that the window has lost focus, obscuring a first subset of the plurality of conversation elements; 
 computing a duration between the focus status indicating that the window has lost focus and the focus status being in focus; 
 comparing the duration to a threshold duration; and 
 in response to determining that the duration transgresses the threshold duration, presenting an option to re-open the conversation interface, wherein the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements is revealed in response to selection of the option. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the web browser is implemented on a desktop computer. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the accessing comprises:
 retrieving a universal resource locator (URL) of the messaging application; 
 downloading a markup language document corresponding to the messaging application; and 
 processing the markup language document by the web browser to display the conversation interface. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising modifying a display attribute of a second subset of the plurality of conversation elements, the second subset being different than the first subset. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the focus status changes from being in focus to losing focus in response to determining that a different window of the web browser is being viewed. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the focus status changes from being in focus to losing focus in response to detecting user interaction with a portion of a display that excludes the window. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the focus status changes from being in focus to losing focus in response to determining that the window has been minimized or has been obscured by a different window. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the focus status is received from the web browser. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conversation elements include a chat region that includes one or more messages exchanged in a conversation, a chat input region for enabling a user to compose a message, a presence region that indicates an activity state of each of a plurality of friends, a friends region that lists the plurality of friends with whom the user has previously engaged in a conversation, and a phone call region for placing a phone call to a given friend. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements includes the chat region and the presence region. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising modifying a display attribute of the chat input region. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein modifying the display attribute comprises reducing an opacity of the chat input region by a specified amount. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein obscuring the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements comprises presenting an overlay on top of a chat region that includes one or more messages exchanged in a conversation, the overlay comprising a message indicting that a user of the web browser is no longer present. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the overlay comprises an avatar of the user. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 after obscuring the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements, determining that the focus status of the window is in focus; 
 in response to determining that the focus status of the window is in focus, detecting an interaction with the conversation interface; and 
 revealing the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements in response to detecting the interaction with the conversation interface. 
 
     
     
       16. A system comprising:
 at least one processor configured to perform operations comprising: 
 accessing a conversation interface of a messaging application on a web browser; 
 presenting the conversation interface in a window associated with the web browser, the conversation interface comprising a plurality of conversation elements; 
 accessing a focus status of the window; 
 in response to determining that the focus status indicates that the window has lost focus, obscuring a first subset of the plurality of conversation elements; 
 computing a duration between the focus status indicating that the window has lost focus and the focus status being in focus; 
 comparing the duration to a threshold duration; and 
 in response to determining that the duration transgresses the threshold duration, presenting an option to re-open the conversation interface, wherein the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements is revealed in response to selection of the option. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the web browser is implemented on a desktop computer. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the accessing comprises:
 retrieving a universal resource locator (URL) of the messaging application; 
 downloading a markup language document corresponding to the messaging application; and 
 processing the markup language document by the web browser to display the conversation interface. 
 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that includes instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 accessing a conversation interface of a messaging application on a web browser; 
 presenting the conversation interface in a window associated with the web browser, the conversation interface comprising a plurality of conversation elements; 
 accessing a focus status of the window; 
 in response to determining that the focus status indicates that the window has lost focus, obscuring a first subset of the plurality of conversation elements; 
 computing a duration between the focus status indicating that the window has lost focus and the focus status being in focus; 
 comparing the duration to a threshold duration; and 
 in response to determining that the duration transgresses the threshold duration, presenting an option to re-open the conversation interface, wherein the first subset of the plurality of conversation elements is revealed in response to selection of the option. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the web browser is implemented on a desktop computer.